F&M Bank Security Center

Follow these best practices tips to ensure your private banking information is secure and you don’t fall victim to online fraud tactics. Financial fraud and theft can come in many forms so it is important to become familiar with the signs of danger.

Lost or Stolen Card/Card Number

After Business Hours:
Visa Fraud Prevention Center
1-800-554-8969
Notify us the next business day.

During Business Hours:
1-800-645-4199 (Toll Free)
1-931-645-2400

24/7 Fraudulent

Transaction Hotline
If you do not have a case number, press "0".

1-800-262-2024 (Inside US)
1-973-682-2652 (Outside US)

Debit Card Activation Center

24-7 Card Activation Assistance PIN Setup / Change Number
1-800-567-3451

The Heinous Crime That Can Be Committed With Just a Phone

The National Council on Aging reports that elder financial abuse can be more devastating than a violent crime. What can you do to prevent your parents from being the next victims? Here are just a few things:

Make sure that they keep an eye on bank statements as they come in, and never give their personal information over the phone to anyone who initiates contact with them.
If they’re making a payment by mail on a credit card, they should not let that information sit in a mailbox long enough for someone to steal it; if possible, they should mail it from a post office.
Make sure that they take advantage of credit reporting services that can help them keep an eye on credit card accounts and loans.
Lastly, they should use direct deposit for any payments they receive on a regular basis, such as Social Security.

Holidays are supposed to be a joyous time – but scammers can replace the joy of the season with the hassles of fraud!

Below are a few reminders that can help safeguard your personal information during the holidays.

Phishing emails – Phishing, or emails with fake links designed to obtain personal information often ramp up during holidays and year end activities. Popular ones include the personalized letter from Santa to your child, solicitations from unknown third parties that offer gift cards and/or discounts in exchange for taking a survey, fake delivery confirmations from FedEx or Amazon, and fake renewal requests for things like insurance coverage. If you receive an email asking you to ‘update’, validate’ or ‘confirm’ your account, verify the request is legitimate before you respond. You can stay current on scams by visiting the FTC’s scam site: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/
Phone Scams – Phone scammers also step up their efforts accordingly. Fake calls may use telephone numbers that are close to your number, or worse yet, they may falsify the caller id display to disguise their identity. Never provide personal information over the phone in any call that you did not initiate. More information about Caller ID is available here: https://www.fcc.gov/consumers
Fake Websites – Online-shopping bargains may look ‘too good to be true’ for a reason. Scammers create slick websites offering merchandise at cut-rate prices without any intention of delivering – or worse, as a front to steal and misuse your account information. Before you click a website link, verify the company is legitimate and confirm the link is not directing you to a spoof or fake copy of the company’s website. Best practice is to not use external links; enter the company’s correct URL in your browser. Look for "https" in the header – the "s" reflects a secure web page.
Mobile Use – Ordering on your phone may be easy….but if you are using a public, unsecured wireless connection, you are increasing the risk that your personal information may be intercepted and stolen. When using a smartphone, it is more difficult to verify that you are connecting to a company’s legitimate website; and also more tempting to use convenient links that could be directing you to spoof or fake websites. Per the above suggestions, type the companies legitimate URL in your browser. If you are connecting through retailer apps, verify that the app is valid. Watch out for those fake texts we all seem to get, too!

Best Practices – Online and PC Security Tips

We recommend that you implement the following Online and PC Security Tips to help prevent some of the common fraudulent activities and scams that occur on the Internet that can lead to identity theft and financial loss.
Install and/or update antivirus software and anti-spyware software.
Update your antivirus signatures daily and anti-spyware signatures weekly.
Keep your operating system and browser up to date.
If you are on a site that asks for personal information: Type the address page you are browsing rather than following a link. Links can be spoofed to look valid but may take you to another site without your knowledge.
- Make sure the web address starts with https://
- Look for a closed lock in the address bar of your browser.
- Is the address bar green? Green means secure for some browsers such as Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, etc.
Keep written usernames and passwords in a locked drawer or away from the area here you keep your PC and/or electronic device.
Never send personal or sensitive information in an email.
Never click links or open attachments in suspicious emails.

Alerts

PPP Loan Information

On December 27, 2020, a new Covid-19 relief package was enacted which includes $284 billion in new Paycheck Protection Program funds for organizations & business needing access to either a first loan or a second round of funding.

F&M Bank will begin accepting applications for first & second PPP loans beginning Friday, January 15.

Please complete the Paycheck Protection Program Application Inquiry Form and an application link will be emailed to you from F&M Bank. Paper applications will NOT be accepted at this time.

PPP Application Inquiry Form

Please note the following criteria that is generally required for 2nd draw PPP loan requests:

Borrower must have experienced and can demonstrate at least a 25% reduction in gross receipts (defined by SBA) in any quarter of 2020 relative to the same quarter in 2019.
Employ fewer than 300 employees.
Must have been in business before Feb 15, 2020 & remain operational.
You have used or will use the full amount of the first-draw PPP loan for authorized purposes.

This list is not intended to be comprehensive and we encourage all prospective borrowers to review the latest information on the SBA website:

SBA Paycheck Protection Program Information

If you have further questions, we encourage you to consult with an accountant or attorney regarding your specific situation.

COVID 19- READINESS

Effective March 1, 2021, F&M Bank and F&M Mortgage offices will re-open for public access and resume normal bank hours. Although we have missed seeing our customers, we still strongly encourage use of alternative banking methods such as our drive thru facilities, online banking services, and ATMs, whenever possible. The health and well being of our customers and coworkers remain among our top priorities and we will continue to follow CDC established guidelines.

We are aware of the concerns regarding COVID-19!

At F&M Bank, the health and safety of our staff, our employees and the communities we serve are high priorities. We feel it is critical to let you know about the proactive steps F&M Bank is taking to keep employees and customers safe in addition to sharing information with you to help protect yourself.

Hand-sanitizer is available in lobby areas for customer and employee use. All public spaces within F&M Bank facilities are being cleaned regularly.
Employees have been provided with information on how to stay healthy and how to avoid illness through proper hygiene practices.
Employees are instructed to stay home when they are not feeling well.
We have assembled a cross-functional Response Team to meet frequently to review, monitor and adjust operations as the situation changes to ensure continuation of critical business functions.
If we need to close branches or offices temporarily, our online capabilities can meet most of your needs.

For customers, we recommend the following:

We encourage you to use online banking and mobile banking options for your everyday banking needs. Our customer service staff is able to help you activate (or help you use) your online and mobile banking services, by calling: 1-800-645-4199.
If you are not feeling well, we encourage you to avoid unnecessary trips to the bank. If you need assistance with a banking issue, you can also send a secure email/contact us form through our Contact Us.
Please make sure your mobile phone number and email are up-to-date for all of your accounts. This will also help if we have to contact you quickly about your account. Call 1-800-645-4199 for assistance updating this information. Note: Additional security questions will be asked to make changes.
As you conduct transactions at ATMs, at payment terminals (using your payment cards) or when using cash, it is recommended that you should avoid touching your face (eyes/nose/mouth) after completing a transaction and wash your hands or use hand sanitizer as you would after being in any public space. Sanitize your payment cards and mobile phone regularly.
Make the most of digital (online and mobile) banking services
- Check account balances 24/7
- Access monthly statements
- Pay bills electronically
- Deposit checks through the mobile app by simply taking a photo with a smartphone
- Transfer funds
Enroll in direct deposit. If you receive a paper check from your employer, inquire about direct deposit. If you receive a paper check for Federal benefits, visit Go Direct.
Beware of scams and criminals using fear/intimidation, trickery, urgency or disinformation related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) to attempt to steal your sensitive, personal or account information. Watch out for strange calls, emails, texts or websites that look like they are coming from legitimate businesses or government agencies asking for information like SSN, usernames/passwords (login info), account numbers, credit or debit card numbers, PINs, etc.
Build an emergency fund. An emergency fund will help to cover unexpected medical costs that could arise from being ill. Even reserving a small amount can make a big difference and it’s never too late to get started.
Have some cash on hand. It’s always a good idea to keep some cash handy in a safe, secure place.

F&M Bank will never contact you and request your financial and/or security information, such as your online banking password, mobile banking PIN or account number. NEVER give your security credentials or financial information to someone contacting you by phone, email, text or mail. When setting up direct deposit, only provide your account number and our bank’s routing number; NEVER provide your online or mobile banking security credentials. If you are concerned the request is legitimate, BEFORE providing such information, contact us to confirm it is needed and/or the issue you were contacted about is legitimate. You can contact us at 931-645-2400 or 800-645-4199 (toll free) during regular business hours. Our Contact Us page enables you to send us a secure email message. Click here for 24/7 customer service contact numbers for our credit and debit card services and F&M Bank Telephone Banking.

We will continue to monitor the situation using information from trusted sources including the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the World Health Organizations (WHO), banking agencies/regulators and state/local health agencies.

Please call 1-800-645-4199 with any banking questions or if you need assistance with specific banking activities.